FFA chapters end academic year with joint O-H banquet

The members of the Odessa and Harrington FFA chapter and agriculture courses have been very busy attending the Spokane Jr. Livestock Show, the Washington State FFA Convention, receiving visitors from Evergreen Implement, and recognizing all of their members at their annual banquet.

Spokane Jr. Livestock Show

From April 30 to May 5, six FFA members showed four hogs, two prospect steers and two lambs. The students received blue and purple ribbons on their SAE (Supervised Agriculture Experience) projects. The beef and lamb members won the herdsmanship award, bringing home two trophies.

Steven Braun, Katelyn Worley, Caleb Singer, Max Greenwalt, Alexis Burdick and Makayla Baird are to be commended on representing Odessa well. Katelyn Worley was selected by her peers to serve as the FFA Barn Captain in the hog barn this year. She attended morning meetings, promoted the hog barn, assisted during the show and worked with FFA members from 10 different chapters in the state of Washington.

State FFA Convention

From May 8 through 12 in Pullman, eight FFA members took part in the First-Year Member, Dairy Foods CDEs, Courtesy Corps, Talent Show events and had an official voting delegate, Katelyn Worley. She attended meetings, discussed FFA issues, reviewed the state officer candidates and worked with other FFA members.

The Dairy Foods team consisted of Max Greenwalt, Caleb Singer, Nick Nelson, Colby Sooy and Makayla Baird, The team placed 22nd out of 34 teams; a total of 156 students took part in this CDE. The First-Year Member team was made up of Molly Schafer, Colby Sooy and Lexie Huntoon (Harrington), doing well among 65 other teams.

Makayla Baird of Odessa and Ellie Hedreen of Harrington participated in the talent competition, singing a duet of a Carrie Underwood song, “Remember Me.” While in Pullman they took in sessions, practiced for their competitions, went to a workshop on creating your own “Brand,” and reinforced qualities of friendship and leadership.

FFA banquet

The first “joint” Odessa/Harrington chapter banquet was held Sunday, May 19, in the Odessa multipurpose room. Students were recognized for their CDE (Career Development Event) involvement during the 2012-2013 school year. CDEs in which the students participated were Creed: Molly Schafer; First-Year Member Team: Schafer, Colby Sooy, WyattHaase, Zoe Clark, Rebecca Fortner and Aaron Gies; Rituals: Schafer, Sooy, Haase, Clark, Fortner and Gies; Food Science, District: Baird, Max Greenwalt, Singer and Parker Valverde; Dairy Foods: Max Greenwalt, Singer, Nick Nelson, Sooy and Baird (State Team) at District: Gies, Lukas Marshall and Valverde; Livestock Judging: Valverde, Baird, Stacia Lesser, Max Greenwalt; Potato Judging: Max Greenwalt, Singer and Sooy; Tractor Driving: Ryan Greenwalt, Nick Tebow, Jacob DeWulf and Max Greenwalt; Trap Shooting: Nick Nelson, Singer, Max Greenwalt, Tebow, Ryan Greenwalt, Gies, Haase and Colton Melgren; Prepared Public Speaking: Kim Nelson; Extemporaneous Speaking: Max Greenwalt. For their involvement they each received participation certificates and pins (state level only).

Members received their Discovery (Haase, Clark, Gies, Marshall, Schafer, Fortner and Brianna Johnson).

The STAR Discovery award went to Colby Sooy, the Greenhand Degree to Max Greenwalt, Caleb Singer, Makayla Baird and Alexis Burdick), the STAR Greenhand award went to Makayla Baird and the Chapter Degree went to Katelyn Worley, who also claimed the STAR Chapter Farmer Degree.

Each of the STAR recipients received a personalized plaque for their hard work and CDE participation and for having a successful SAE.

Seniors Lacey Nelson, Nick Nelson, Nick Tebow and Jared King received their FFA graduation cords, and their future plans were shared with the audience. The Blue and Gold Award that is selected by the advisor was given to Molly Schafer this year.

To end the evening the 2013-2014 officers were announced: President Max Greenwalt, Vice President Katelyn Worley, Secretary Kim Nelson, Treasurer Colby Sooy, Reporter Molly Schafer, Sentinel Caleb Singer and POA Director Makayla Baird.